Minnesotans are encouraged to attend their precinct caucuses on Feb. 2 to engage their friends and neighbors in a civil conversation about the future of Minnesota and our country.

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Secretary of State Mark Ritchie announced that his office has again partnered with all of Minnesota's political parties to launch Caucus Finder, a free online service that assists Minnesotans in finding the location of their caucus of choice. The secretary applauded the political parties for their cooperation in the creation of the office's caucus finder noting that Minnesota is the only state that offers a one-stop online resource incorporating all political parties' caucus locations.

"I thank all of Minnesota's political parties for putting democracy ahead of partisan politics by recognizing the importance of Minnesotans of all political persuasions participating in the caucuses," Ritchie said. "I am excited that we were again able to work together to launch Minnesota's first-in-the-nation caucus finder."

The political parties are selecting locations to hold their precinct caucuses and reporting that information to the secretary of state's office. The office is updating Caucus Finder continuously to reflect location changes made by the parties. As Feb. 2 approaches, the office strongly encourages caucus-goers to reconfirm meeting locations using Caucus Finder to determine if their party has made any last minute changes.

Precinct caucuses are open to the public and are organized by Minnesota's political parties. During these meetings, each party begins the process of selecting its candidates for the 2010 election and adopts policy positions. In order to vote, offer resolutions or become a delegate at a precinct caucus, attendees must be eligible to vote in the 2010 general election, live in the precinct, and be in general agreement with the principles of the political party.

Caucus attendees may also request to be placed on a list to be an election judge. Approximately 30,000 election judges are needed to staff more than 4,100 polling places across Minnesota in each general election.

Participants discuss and pass resolutions on a wide range of public policy and political issues;

--Vote in a straw poll to gauge preferences for Minnesota's next governor;

--Elect precinct officers who organize political activities within the precinct;

--Elect delegates and alternates as representatives to the county and district convention;

--Elect congressional and state convention delegates at the county convention;

--As a county convention delegate, elect congressional and state convention delegates.

For further information about precinct caucuses contact your political party directly. Contact information for each of Minnesota's six political parties is online at www.sos.state.mn.us.

Eastern Otter Tail County DFL locations

Perham, Middle School media center, 480 Coney St. for following precincts: